Sifter



s. ANDERSON ocfzs, 1930.

SIFTER Filed Oct. 4, 1929 1N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 28, 1930 UNITED STATES SELMA ANDERSON, OFTACOMA,.WASHINGTON SIF'I'ER Application filed October 4, 1929 -Seria1No. 397,335

The present invention is directed to improvements in flour sifters.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of thisch'aracter'so con- 5 structed that the flour will be subjected to anumber of sifting operations at one operation.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a sifter including aplurality of superposed screens and an arm so arranged that the flourwill be subjected to a series of sifting operations before it passesfrom the sifter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sifter so constructedthat the screens, operating shaft, and rubbing or agitating arms can beconveniently assembled.

With these and other objects'in view, this invention resides in thenovel features of construction, formation, combination and arrangement.of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustratedin the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the device.

Figure 2 is a top plan view. Referring to the drawing, 1 designates acylindrical container having a handle 2 carried thereby so that the samecan be conveniently held during the sifting of flour.

The lower end of the container is bridged by a comparatively narrowcross bar 3, the ends of which may be secured to the container in anyappropriate manner. This bar is provided with a centrally locatedbearing 4, the purpose of which will be later explained.

A plurality of screens '5 are provlded and are supported by sheet metalrims 6. The rims are of such height that when they are nested, thescreens will be maintained vertioally spaced.

A shaft 7 is provided and is passed through the center-of the screens 5.and has its lower 'The upper end of the shaft is provided end journaledin the bearing 4, said shaft.

The'strip 8 issecured in with a crank 10 to facilitate the rotationthereof. i j 7 i The shaft'is provided with a plurality "of verticallyspaced openings 11 in which are engaged the rubbingarms 12, said armsbe- 'ing adapted, whenthe shaft 7. is rotated, to

rub upon theupper surfaces of the screens 5. In assembling the device,the strip 8*is engaged upon the shaft, after which the'uppermost arm12is engaged in the uppermost opening '11. The uppermost screen is thenslipped upon the shaft. The remaining arms 12 and screens aresuccessively applied to the shaft until the rims are fully nested, atwhich time the arms will have rubbing contact with the screens 5. Therims 6 may be soldered so as to provide a unitary structure, if desired.The nested rims are inserted in the container through the upperendthereof and will rest upon the cross bar 3, and to prevent upwardmovement of the shaft 7, a cotter pin 13 may be passed through the shaftunder the cross strip 8. The cross strip 8 is capable of being sprung sothat the ends thereof may be secured to the container], 1 after thescreens have been inserted therein. When the screens arethus assembledand the shaft 7 rotated, the arms 12 will sweep over the screens 5 toeffectively perform the sifting operation. Five screensare illustratedbut it will be understood that the number thereof'may be increased or,if desired, decreased.

The flour will becompelled to pass through a number of screens and sinceit is sub-.85

'jected'to the rubbing action of the arms,

all lumps will be broken up and the flour will be in proper condition,after leavingv the sifter, for use.

While the device is primarily designed for v sifting flour, it is notnecessarily limited to such use, since other powdered or like substancescan besifted therein. 7

From the foregoing, it is thought that the operation and many advantagesof the herein: 9 described invention will be apparent to those skilledin the art without further description and it will be understood thatvarious changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to with-: I

out departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:

A sitter comprising a container, upper and lower cross bars therein, theupper cross bar being spaced well below the upper end of the container,nested rims supported upon the lower cross bar and bearing against wallsof the container, a screen for each rim, a shaft passing loosely throughthe upper cross bar and screens and mounted upon the lower cross bar andprovided with transverse openings adjacent the screens and upper crossbar,the upper end of said shaft having a turning handle of less lengththan a radius of the container, a pin engaging under the upper cross barand passing through the shaft to prevent vertical displacement of theshaft, and arms passing through the shaft and engaging the top sides ofthe respective screens to hold the parts assembled and provide rubbers,the distance from the turning handle to the upper cross bar beinggreater than the combined depth of the assembled rims.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

SELMA ANDERSON. [L. s]

